Angel Heart (1987)
December 18, 2022 5:07 PM - Subscribe
A private investigator is hired by a man who calls himself Louis Cyphre to track down a singer named Johnny Favorite. But the investigation takes an unexpected and somber turn. Trailer.
Parts of this movie have aged poorly, but the slowly-dawning sense of deeply intimate horror is just perfect. If you like horror, I’d recommend this movie without reservation.
posted by Mr. Excellent at 5:59 PM on December 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Mr. Excellent at 5:59 PM on December 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
I too have a soft spot for this weird bit of horror. It leans a bit too much into the mystique of New Orleans at times, but it's not wrong perse, just slightly over the top at times.
But the atmosphere the film creates and builds upon is fantastic and the conclusion, while a bit messy on several literal and metaphorical levels, it is satisfying.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:15 PM on December 18, 2022
But the atmosphere the film creates and builds upon is fantastic and the conclusion, while a bit messy on several literal and metaphorical levels, it is satisfying.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:15 PM on December 18, 2022
Love this movie. It's been a fixture in my Top Ten ever since release.
posted by Paul Slade at 12:12 AM on December 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Paul Slade at 12:12 AM on December 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Top ten movie for me too.
HARY ANGEL: So what've I got:
A religious loonie as a client.
I gotta find Johnny "Golden Tonsils"
and we don't know where he is.
And he probably doesn't know who he is.
I got a geriatric bandleader
in a home in Harlem.
I got a guitar player
called Toots Sweet.
What else have I got?
CONNIE: A hard-on?
posted by oldnumberseven at 2:22 AM on December 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
HARY ANGEL: So what've I got:
A religious loonie as a client.
I gotta find Johnny "Golden Tonsils"
and we don't know where he is.
And he probably doesn't know who he is.
I got a geriatric bandleader
in a home in Harlem.
I got a guitar player
called Toots Sweet.
What else have I got?
CONNIE: A hard-on?
posted by oldnumberseven at 2:22 AM on December 19, 2022 [3 favorites]
Mephistopheles is such a mouthful of Manhattan. (One of my favorite lines ever!)
posted by Gelatin at 4:37 AM on December 19, 2022
posted by Gelatin at 4:37 AM on December 19, 2022
I saw this when it was in theaters; I also remember the huge gossipy freakouts about "omg it got an X rating" and "omg Denise Huxtable is nekkid in it".
I was actually quite surprised to see Wikipedia say that Lisa Bonet discussed the film with Cosby before accepting the job, and Wiki implied he gave her his blessing; I remember the gossip was more that he was angry with her about that. But then I read the article Wiki uses as that source, and it's a little vague; it's an interview with Lisa Bonet, who says that she discussed the film with him and "he said I should do what was best for my career". That sounds exactly like when your parents tell you something is up to you, but they secretly do have an opinion about which option they want you to pick, and then they give you shit when you don't pick that one.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:11 AM on December 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
I was actually quite surprised to see Wikipedia say that Lisa Bonet discussed the film with Cosby before accepting the job, and Wiki implied he gave her his blessing; I remember the gossip was more that he was angry with her about that. But then I read the article Wiki uses as that source, and it's a little vague; it's an interview with Lisa Bonet, who says that she discussed the film with him and "he said I should do what was best for my career". That sounds exactly like when your parents tell you something is up to you, but they secretly do have an opinion about which option they want you to pick, and then they give you shit when you don't pick that one.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:11 AM on December 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
I watched this in proximity to "The Believers" and I don't mix the films up, exactly, but I don't not mix them up in a way either
"Angel Heart" for the win (clearly) it's just hard to disentangle films sometimes
posted by elkevelvet at 9:39 AM on December 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
"Angel Heart" for the win (clearly) it's just hard to disentangle films sometimes
posted by elkevelvet at 9:39 AM on December 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
This movie has been on my "to watch" list for a ridiculously long time, but I've never quite found the time. Guess I need to carve out a few hours and watch it.
posted by jzb at 10:25 AM on December 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by jzb at 10:25 AM on December 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have not seen this for a long time but watched it a bunch of times. yeah its a hot mess and probably problematic on a lot of levels but I love it. it does what it does very well. its dark and sexy and grim.
posted by supermedusa at 11:33 AM on December 19, 2022
posted by supermedusa at 11:33 AM on December 19, 2022
It showed as one of the weekend movies when I was in college, so I went with a bunch of friends. One was really religious (and possibly drunk), and she was really unhappy for having watched it. (I liked it, but I'd also seen it before.)
posted by Spike Glee at 12:14 PM on December 19, 2022
posted by Spike Glee at 12:14 PM on December 19, 2022
That sounds exactly like when your parents tell you something is up to you, but they secretly do have an opinion about which option they want you to pick, and then they give you shit when you don't pick that one.
I also (like you) read that as a paternalistic, passive-aggressive statement that Cosby only wanted to appear to be offering Monet a choice but would absolutely hold it against her if she made what he considered the wrong one.
Debbie Allen (the executive producer of A Different World) has said in an interview that Cosby refused to work Monet's pregnancy into the show, and it's hard for me to read that as anything other than anger and vindictiveness over his belief that women shouldn't control their own bodies when some random dude finds it inconvenient.
Incidentally, on a completely unrelated note, I realized that it might be possible to square two apparently conflicting beliefs--for example, that it's shameful for a woman to film a sex scene, and that it's also, I don't know, fine to be a rapist--with some overly kind and forgiving bit of pretzel logic, but that one could square them more simply with that same belief that men should control women's bodies.
posted by johnofjack at 2:21 PM on December 19, 2022
I also (like you) read that as a paternalistic, passive-aggressive statement that Cosby only wanted to appear to be offering Monet a choice but would absolutely hold it against her if she made what he considered the wrong one.
Debbie Allen (the executive producer of A Different World) has said in an interview that Cosby refused to work Monet's pregnancy into the show, and it's hard for me to read that as anything other than anger and vindictiveness over his belief that women shouldn't control their own bodies when some random dude finds it inconvenient.
Incidentally, on a completely unrelated note, I realized that it might be possible to square two apparently conflicting beliefs--for example, that it's shameful for a woman to film a sex scene, and that it's also, I don't know, fine to be a rapist--with some overly kind and forgiving bit of pretzel logic, but that one could square them more simply with that same belief that men should control women's bodies.
posted by johnofjack at 2:21 PM on December 19, 2022
I watched this in proximity to "The Believers" and I don't mix the films up, exactly, but I don't not mix them up in a way either
is the believers the one where the lady gets electrocuted by the blender at the beginning? because that movie, Rainbow and the Serpent and Angelheart are all the same time frame in my mind.
posted by domino at 2:57 PM on December 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
is the believers the one where the lady gets electrocuted by the blender at the beginning? because that movie, Rainbow and the Serpent and Angelheart are all the same time frame in my mind.
posted by domino at 2:57 PM on December 19, 2022 [2 favorites]
Life Lessons from Lisa Bonet has some of the actress's own thoughts about her role in Angel Heart.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:09 PM on December 19, 2022
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:09 PM on December 19, 2022
is the believers the one where the lady gets electrocuted by the blender at the beginning? because that movie, Rainbow and the Serpent and Angelheart are all the same time frame in my mind.
ding ding ding
but this is the scene from The Believers that still creeps into my thoughts (warning: gross)
posted by elkevelvet at 3:21 PM on December 19, 2022
ding ding ding
but this is the scene from The Believers that still creeps into my thoughts (warning: gross)
posted by elkevelvet at 3:21 PM on December 19, 2022
Angel: Churches give me the creeps. I don't like churches.
Cyphre: You are atheist?
Angel: Yes, I am. I'm from Brooklyn.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 4:27 PM on December 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
Cyphre: You are atheist?
Angel: Yes, I am. I'm from Brooklyn.
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 4:27 PM on December 19, 2022 [1 favorite]
I was weirdly excited to see this movie and still remember it as one of the most negative film-going experiences I've had. I don't know why I was watching this at 13. Strong misogyny vibes. Agree I may be mixing some of it up with Serpent and the Rainbow which I found similarly bad.
posted by latkes at 9:48 AM on December 20, 2022
posted by latkes at 9:48 AM on December 20, 2022
Alan Parker has the strangest filmography of any mainstream director I can think of - best known for Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express, Fame, Pink Floyd: The Wall, Mississippi Burning, The Commitments and this, I guess, but also the very odd The Road To Wellville and lots of other, more normal things.
posted by Grangousier at 1:02 PM on December 20, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by Grangousier at 1:02 PM on December 20, 2022 [6 favorites]
I was struck by how similar De Niro looked in this and The Mission, but how differently he presented in the two roles.
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:03 PM on December 20, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:03 PM on December 20, 2022 [2 favorites]
thanks for the memory, GenjiandProust
my dad so enjoyed that film and soundtrack
posted by elkevelvet at 9:56 AM on December 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
my dad so enjoyed that film and soundtrack
posted by elkevelvet at 9:56 AM on December 21, 2022 [1 favorite]
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by Kitteh at 5:16 PM on December 18, 2022 [8 favorites]